Chapter 111: Shangguan Yunyi and the Sword Master

North of Bei Du lies a boundless grassland.

Verdant for myriad miles, endless to the sight.

Wind blows the grass low, revealing cattle and sheep.

The Five Absolutes Palace lies right in this grassland.

On the level grassland stands a massive palace.

The palace is wholly white; from afar it resembles a speck of milk dropped onto a pool of green ink.

That is the Five Absolutes Palace.

Although the Five Absolutes Palace is not as majestic and splendid as the imperial palace, its historical presence far surpasses that of the imperial palace. It has existed for two thousand years, older than the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is the only force in the martial world that fears no imperial authority and dares to contend with the court.

It dares to provoke the Great Zhou Dynasty, yet the Great Zhou Dynasty must yield to it.

Because each generation's Palace Master possesses enough strength to enter and leave the imperial palace, hanging the emperor's head on the palace walls. Though everyone knows it is the Palace Master's doing, no evidence can be found. This is absolute power.

Even if you command tens of thousands of troops, should the Palace Master wish to kill you, not even those troops can stop him.

Thus the emperor would rather suffer a loss than risk his own life.

The main hall of the Five Absolutes Palace, also known as the Five Absolutes Hall, is where the Palace Master takes on disciples and receives guests.

"Mother." The young palace mistress knelt on the ground, still dressed in red; even kneeling, she looked beautiful.

"You have finally broken through." The woman seated on the high platform of the hall is the Palace Master of the Five Absolutes Palace, mother of the young palace mistress, clad in a snowy white robe.

Her face is cold and beautiful, haughty, showing no emotion; she looks like a sculpture. Men who see her feel a chilling aura, yet cannot take their eyes away.

Some are cold, yet their appearance is hateful, with a fierce look; some are beautiful, yet they are frivolous.

Thus one feels that such a cold beauty is truly a peerless marvel, a fairy from the clouds—rare to encounter, impossible to obtain.

Her eyes, like a cold night, emit specks of icy light; her snow‑white face bears no smile, her whole visage as harsh as the depths of winter.

Cold, so cold as to bear no trace of worldly air; ice, so icy as to be peerlessly beautiful.

Her daughter is practically a carbon copy of her.

The Palace Master is not entirely pleased with her young palace mistress, even though her daughter, under twenty years old, has already reached the Fourth Heaven.

The Palace Master believes it is still nearly a year late.

"My daughter has done her best," the young palace mistress said, having no choice before her mother.

If one wishes to live, one must become stronger!

"This Palace assigns you a task."

"What task?"

The Palace Master's tone was three degrees colder than the young palace mistress's: "Go kill a person."

"Who?" the young palace mistress asked.

"The Sword Master of the Sword-Leaning Pavilion," the Palace Master replied; as she uttered the two words "Sword Master," her already icy face grew three degrees colder.

"Kill him?" the young palace mistress knew her mother never joked, yet she was still puzzled; although she had entered the Fourth Heaven, the gap to the Sword Master was still a hundred and eight thousand li.

"Soon he will come to the Five Absolutes Palace, and I will kill him outside the palace."

"Very well." Obeying her mother's command, the young palace mistress dared not disobey.

……

"Leaning on the tower to listen to wind and rain, idly watching the martial world's path, hehe… a fine place, a fine place!" Shangguan Yunyi said with a smile; though he was already advanced in years, his steps still stirred a gentle breeze.

The Sword-Leaning Pavilion lies in a secluded forest; before it is a lake, lush trees, all penetrated by sword intent.

Fine drizzle fell from the sky; the Sword Master stood before the pavilion, hands behind his back, waiting.

"You have come."

"Yes, long time no see."

"We just met at God Sword Mountain Villa; have you forgotten?"

"Look at this old man's memory! Hahaha!" Shangguan Yunyi walked to the Sword Master's side; the rain was blocked by the pavilion's upper screen, he had walked in the rain for so long yet not a drop wet him, his clothes and shoes remained pristine.

"Come, please inside." The Sword Master made an inviting gesture, asking Shangguan Yunyi to enter.

"I could smell this tea from afar. Top‑grade Longjing!"

"Everyone says your love for tea is no less than your love for swords, and indeed it is so."

Shangguan Yunyi took a deep sip of tea; the mellow aroma let him linger in delight, "At my age, to be able to enjoy such a cup of tea is worth it, worth it."

The moment Shangguan Yunyi entered the Sword-Leaning Pavilion, all the weapons in the hall trembled—this was the utmost respect for him, the Sword King.

"The Tai'a Sword, the Mogan Sword, the Qin Sword, the Xiao Sword—such fine blades are all yours!" Shangguan Yunyi gently set down his teacup and smiled at the Sword Master.

"Without even looking at the swords, you can discern them—truly only a Sword King could do this!" The Sword Master lavished praise without reserve.

"Hahaha! Too kind, I truly envy you for having such a leisurely life."

"Is your life not leisurely enough?"

"Nothing compares to your leisure."

The sword qi of Shangguan Yunyi and the Sword Master had become so intense that words could not describe it; their every word, gesture, and breath was sword.

If an outsider approaches, they will be pulverized by those two sword qi.

"Why did you let the Heavenly Mechanism Sword go?" the Sword Master asked.

"That's a question I should be asking you—such a fine treasure sword, isn't keeping it to guard the pavilion the best? Do you truly fear that a single Heavenly Mechanism Sword would ruin your entire Sword-Leaning Pavilion?" Shangguan Yunyi countered.

"Swords have spirits; they cannot be forced by you or I," the Sword Master said after taking a sip of tea, "this time I sought you out is not merely for tea."

"Whatever it is, speak freely," Shangguan Yunyi readily agreed; though he had previously been compelled by Zhou Ke and was unwilling, the Sword Master's matter was naturally intriguing, so he became interested.

"I want you to help me take over the Sword-Leaning Pavilion," the Sword Master declared dramatically.

Even Shangguan Yunyi was startled: "Who in the martial world doesn't know that the Sword-Leaning Pavilion is your treasure? You value it more than your own life!"

"It is precisely because it is a treasure that I entrust it to your care! After all these years of friendship, in the entire martial world I trust only you."

"What are you going to do? What kind of opponent could make you unable to grasp your own fate?" Shangguan Yunyi asked.

"My bond with my old friend has reached its end; it's time to part in life and death." The Sword Master sighed.

"Old friend, the Palace Master of the Five Absolutes Palace..." Shangguan Yunyi and the Sword Master had known each other for many years, so naturally they knew the Sword Master's story.

"So, you must promise me."

"Decided?"

"Hmm." The Sword Master regained his coldness; only Shangguan Yunyi could move him a bit.

"Fine, I, the old man, promise you—I'll guard the tower for a year." Shangguan Yunyi finally agreed to the Sword Master, "You'll then owe me a favor!"

"If I return alive, you may pick a sword from the Sword-Leaning Tower; if I die, all the swords in this tower will be yours! How about that? Not a loss, right? Hahaha!"